Module summary

This module will enable students to have a broad understanding of cultural exchanges across the "global" Middle Ages and an understanding of the Middle Ages in a transcultural perspective.

Module will run

Occurrence

Teaching cycle

A

Spring Term 2020-21

Module aims

We are used to talking about our world as a globalized world. Courses of global literature are taught in many departments, mostly addressing the contemporary period. The Middle Ages, however, were also an age of travels and exchanges across the globe. Texts originally written in India could find, translation after translation, their way into Britain, as it is the case for the story of Barlaam and Josaphat, a story of two Christian saints actually based on a life of Buddha. Similarly, social practices could also make long journeys: the game of chess originates in the Indian world and came to Europe through Persian and Arabic mediation. This module will show how these exchanges were made possible by the sharing of common cultural traits across the East and West divide. The course will enable its participants to think about the Middle Ages beyond a Western framework. The module will address both issues of exchange, comparison of different societies and divergent developments from common roots. It will explore how transcultural contacts were experienced at different levels. It will discuss the difference between transcultural and comparative approaches.

Module learning outcomes

Subject content

A knowledge of processes of cultural exchange across different areas in the Middle Ages

An understanding of the Middle Ages in a transcultural perspective

An understanding of how medieval societies thought and act ‘globally’

An awareness of the breadth and limits of the use of the category ‘Middle Ages’

A theoretic understanding of multicultural and multilingual interactions

An understanding of medieval practices of translation, text re-elaboration and their relationship with different medieval audiences

An understanding of material culture in a transcultural perspective

Academic and graduate skills

Read closely and critically, both primary and secondary material, on a high level

Articulate, orally and in writing, innovative and cogent critical arguments

The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University is constantly exploring ways to enhance
and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules,
and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary by the University. Where appropriate, the University will
notify and consult with affected students in advance about any changes that are required in line with the University's policy on the
Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.